Blog – Page 26 – Windhoek Observer

20 Aug

Sankwasa crossed the line with Katima, says IPC

National News

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) has accused minister of urban and rural development James Sankwasa of abusing his power by dissolving the Katima Mulilo Town Council, saying the move undermines the rule of law and the Constitution. IPC spokesperson Immanuel Nashinge described the minister’s action as unconstitutional and authoritarian. On 15 August, a government gazette issued through Sankwasa announced the removal of all council members under Government Notice No. 194. In the notice, Sankwasa cited section 92(2) of the Local Authorities Act and declared that all powers, duties, and functions of the council now vest in his…

20 Aug

Nutrition drive to aid 400 pupils in Kavango West

National News

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The Commonwealth Heads of Mission in Namibia, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) launched a six-month initiative to improve nutrition, health, and protection for children and communities in Mpungu Constituency, Kavango West. The initiative called Building Brighter Tomorrows is valued at N$188 000 and will run from August 2025 to January 2026. The Commonwealth Heads of Mission contributed N$100 000, while UNFPA and WFP jointly provided N$88 000. The program ill be implemented with government ministries, local authorities, and community stakeholders. UNFPA communication officer Emma Mbekele said the programme will…

20 Aug

Zaamwani calls for private capital in water projects

National News

Allexer Namundjebo Attracting private sector investment of at least US$30 billion (about N$540 billion) per year into the water sector requires strong governance, institutional capacity, efficiency, and regulatory reforms, minister of agriculture, fisheries, water and land reform Inge Zaamwani has said. Speaking at the just-ended AU-AIP Water Investment Summit 2025 in Cape Town, Zaamwani said the government is committed to turning Namibia’s water security challenges into opportunities for innovation and sustainable growth. “This is one of the driest countries in sub-Saharan Africa, and climate change is intensifying our challenges. Yet, we are determined to turn these challenges into opportunities for…

20 Aug

CPBN awards N$7.5 billion contracts in eight years

Observer Money

Allexer Namundjebo The Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN) has awarded public procurement contracts valued at N$7.5 billion over the past eight years.These contracts have been issued since the board’s establishment in 2017. The figure was revealed on Monday during the CPBN board stakeholders' engagement with current contractors. CPBN board member Julinda !Garus-Oas said the amount includes N$1.3 billion for 36 contracts awarded for goods, N$1.9 billion for 80 service contracts, and N$4.4 billion for 63 projects. Opening the session, CPBN board chairperson Mary Shiimi stressed that procurement plays a key role in national development. She said contracts with CPBN…

20 Aug

Mining shows strength in weak economy

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira Namibia’s mining sector has continued to show resilience despite a weak global economy, the Chamber of Mines of Namibia said in its July monthly update. Global growth in early 2025 has been subdued, with major economies such as the United States and the United Kingdom slowing, while emerging markets have delivered mixed results. Rising inflation, trade volatility, and falling external demand led the Bank of Namibia (BoN) to revise its growth forecast for 2025 from 3.8% to 3.5%. The chamber stated that the contraction in agriculture and diamond mining had an impact. Mining, however, remains the backbone of…

20 Aug

Rand stability to drive inflation down

Observer Money

Allexer Namundjembo Stabilisation in the South African rand and favourable external price trends are expected to drive Namibia’s inflation lower in 2025. The Bank of Namibia (BoN), at its recent Monetary Policy Dialogue, projected inflation to ease from a five-year average of 4.3% to 3.8% in 2025. The dialogue took place under the theme, "35 Years of Monetary Stewardship: Enhancing Policy Resilience in a Changing Economic Landscape." In July, the country's inflation was 3.5%. “This downward trajectory reflects both domestic policy discipline and favourable external price developments,” said BoN governor Johannes !Gawaxab. Inflation previously peaked at 6.0% in October 2023,…

20 Aug

Youth forum launches energy awards

Featured, Observer Money, Opinions

Staff Writer The Namibia Youth Energy Forum (NYEF) will host the Namibia Energy Connect and Energy Trailblazer Awards 2025 from 4 to 5 November at Droombos in Windhoek. NYEF said the initiative is not a conventional energy summit but a national platform designed to bring together Namibia’s energy leaders for reflection, collaboration, and celebration. "It is the first of its kind, uniting stakeholders from oil and gas, renewable energy, green hydrogen, and energy services to shape the country’s energy future." the forum stated The event is expected to attract over 1,000 participants, including energy companies, service providers, government leaders, youth,…

20 Aug

Love, hustles, and household budgets

Featured, Observer Money, Opinions, Uncategorised

Hileni Amadhila We often think love lives in flowers, laughter, and late-night chats, but in real life, it also lives in the rent, the groceries, the school fees, and the “Can we help at home this month?” calls. And in Namibia today, the financial side of love can be just as intense as the romantic side. The 2024 Old Mutual Namibia Financial Services Monitor shows that over half of working Namibians feel financially stressed, with rising costs and slow income growth piling on the pressure. At the same time, almost a third of working adults have more than one income…

20 Aug

Sports ministry evaluates sites for new sports facilities

Featured, Sports

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The ministry of sports is conducting site inspections in various regions for the development of basic sports infrastructure. Head of delegation Flora Yambwa said on Tuesday that the visits form part of the ministry’s plan to evaluate identified locations in 121 constituencies. On 12 August 2025, the team met with the Otjinene Councillor and his leadership to review a proposed development site. The delegation then proceeded to Okandjira–Ovitoto in the Omatako Constituency of the Otjozondjupa region, where they were received by deputy directors from the Regional Council and officers from the Village Council. “In the Erongo Region, the…

19 Aug

Sankwasa pulls plug on Katima Council

Main

Allexer Namundjebo Zambezi regional leadership says they are unaware of the directive by urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa dissolving the Katima Mulilo Town Council. Katima Mulilo Town Council chief executive officer Raphael Liswaniso said he had not received any official communication. “As far as I am concerned, I did not receive anything. No official communication to that effect,” he told Windhoek Observer. Liswaniso explained that Sankwasa had invited councillors and staff to meetings this week, including one with the community on Thursday. “He sent us invitations to several meetings. There is also an invitation to meet staff management,…